3 comments:

I really wish it well. It has taken enormous effort to get this far; it will take even more to get it off the ground.

In this terrible economy, I am surprised that finance will be forthcoming, when so many front line services are being cut.

That aside, my only concern remains the one I voiced a year ago: good intentions aside, will parents take up the offer of a place, especially in the first tew years?

Would it make sense to begin the school small, with one year, and then add a second year in year two, and have all three years up and running in year three, so that the curriculum can grow with expansion and not be spread thin with small numbers of children over three years from the start?

I would think the first thing to do would be to appoint the first Head to oversee the school's birth. Committees are fine, but you need an experience head teacher n place, especially to sell the idea to parents, and crucially (in conjunction with the governors) appoint staff.

Filling the school year by year is a common way but it would cause problems for Purbeck. In 2013 the middle school closes and years 7, 8 and 9 will transfer en masse. If Swanage took only year 7, Purbeck would have to expand to take extra children in years 8 and 9 (and each subsequent year as they move through the school) and then scale back again.

Taking three years also allows the school to have more funding in place from the off. Besides, we have had lots of parents express interest in all three years - but we know we must work hard to create a school that means this interest turns into an actual student accepting a place.

The head will be a big part of this and, as we say in the newsletter, we plan to appoint him or her one year before the school opens. In the meantime we have various head teachers advising us.

I am delighted that funding is not an issue and even permits the school to open all three years, even though it may be possible that all places will not be subscribed at the outset. Once up and running, these should draw attention and new pupils.

May I humbly suggest that the Head Teacher be appointed from the beginning of the summer term in an advisory capacity, before beginning full time in September 2012? I cannot stress how important the earliest start for him/her will be.

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